Advertising: Narrative in advertising

Nike has received critical acclaim for its February 2018 advert ‘Nothing beats a Londoner’. Embed the advert in your blog and answer the following questions:

1) How does the advert use narrative? Apply at least three narrative theories to the text, making specific reference to specific shots or key scenes in the advert.
The advert combines small narratives from different characters in order to create a picture of what London life is like. Propps' character theory is used in the advert. The many individuals who share their stories can all be argued as heroes. The problems they face, such as the skeleton motorbike rider at 0:37 riding after the girl in Peckham, are the villains. The idea of heroes and villains also applies to Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposition. Other examples of binary opposition include the setting used in the advert (Day VS Night, Sunny VS Rain, etc.) and the types of characters in the advert (Young VS Old, Female VS Male, etc.)

Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium can also be applied to the advert. The equilibrium is established very shortly in the beginning of the advert, where London is introduced and everything is normal. The disequilibrium starts from 0:15 and ends at 2:49. Here, all the problems are established. After 2:49, a new equilibrium is established where the characters realise how talented they are and that no problems can stop them from doing the sport they love- represented by the young girl removing all the people off her at 2:52.

2) Read this BBC feature on some of the people in the advert. How does the advert use celebrities and less well-known people to create stories in the advert?
The advert features many celebrities, such as athletes Mo Farah and Dina Asher-Smith, rapper Skepta and comedian Michael Dappah to name a few, to show the athletes competing over who has the biggest struggle training for their sport in the capital. There are also many ordinary people or newly upcoming famous people featured in the advert as well. They are shown to be very impressive, for example the boy who pulled of a slam dunk at around 45 seconds. Darnz is fetured but is almost unrecognisable as its for a very short amount of time and so is model Simmy, who appears at 1:40 as the woman in glasses.

3) Read this AdWeek feature and interview on the Nike London advert. How did the advert use technical codes (camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing etc.) to help create narratives that could connect with the audience?
The directors of the advert used many filming techniques in order to create the advert. This ranges from GoPros to drones to 360 degree cameras, etc. The use of this camerawork combined with the editing and the fact that the characters were speaking directly to the camera allows the audience to connect with the narrative. This is because they feel as if they are part of the characters' life, whether its as their friend (when they speak directly to them and share their struggle) or in the characters' shoes (when we are given an in depth insight of their struggle- e.g. the basketball player and how crowded his space is.)

4) What representation of London does the advert offer?
The advert offers a very lively, fun and diverse representation of London. London is shown to be a city where there is many talents among the people who live there. 

5) Why might this advert appeal to an audience?
This advert is very appealing to an audience because of 'personal identity' and 'personal relationships' (Blumler and Katz) There are many cultures, sports and types of people featured in the advert. Therefore, an audience can identify themselves with at least one of the heroes (whether by their ethnicity or the sport they play). Furthermore, the audience is being told a small part of the characters' story, which may lead them to sympathise with the characters. Also, the music and general narrative of the advert is very fun and unique which automatically attracts an audience.